How Do You Transport Your Bike?

[coskigirl]

Loving my Kuat!

 

[crgildart]

Here's good discussion from bike people about the obscured plate problem. There are people posting that did get stopped in Colorado and several other states.

Ever Been Ticketed Because of Your Rack?

Traffic ticket because of a bike rack?

It appears that the legal remedy would be moving the plate to a more visible location.

 

[luliski]

It's surprising how much the roofrack can affect MPG. I had a good size roadtrip this weekend, about 12 hrs of driving, so I took the rack off the S4. Averaged 27.5 MPG for the weekend. Not sure exactly, but I'd say I normally average about 25 with a bare rack and barely over 20 with bikes on the rack. Ouch.

One of the reasons I put my bike inside my car.

 

[Monique]

For those using roof racks:

Are any of you using through axles (no gap below the skewer)? If so, do you use an adapter kit or maybe the style of roof rack that has a bar to hold the wheel?

Bikes seem to be heading the way of through axles. After a few experiences where my skewer popped open, I'm in favor of this move. And I don't love roof racks anyway. But they're less in the way than my hitch mount, that's for sure ...

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Monique, I've used fork mount racks with a Fork-up adapter, but very much prefer the "wheels on" style of roof rack. The Fork-up is a total pain. Better than nothing, but a pain.

 

[Monique]

Monique, I've used fork mount racks with a Fork-up adapter, but very much prefer the "wheels on" style of roof rack. The Fork-up is a total pain. Better than nothing, but a pain.

As a short person, the hitch rack is a godsend, either fork style. I did notice that with the Ibis' 2.8" tires, it BARELY fit into the tray on my hitch, which is pretty darn wide. It wouldn't have a prayer on the old tray I still have on my roof. I don't think the strap would even be long enough!

 

[Doug Briggs]

For those using roof racks:

Are any of you using through axles (no gap below the skewer)? If so, do you use an adapter kit or maybe the style of roof rack that has a bar to hold the wheel?

Bikes seem to be heading the way of through axles. After a few experiences where my skewer popped open, I'm in favor of this move. And I don't love roof racks anyway. But they're less in the way than my hitch mount, that's for sure ...

Did the skewer pop open while riding or on the rack? I like the locking aspect of the Thule fork rack for that very reason.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Did the skewer pop open while riding or on the rack? I like the locking aspect of the Thule fork rack for that very reason.

Never happened to me, but.... want to hear a story? Back in the day, one of my racing friends had a beautiful Intense M1 SL. It had a crack in the frame so he was driving it up to Saratoga to have a guy from Serotta/Fat Chance fix it. Wheels on style racks did not exist yet, so his bike was held on by a Fork-Up. Now there is very little friction between the thru-axle and the inside of the Fork-Up, so the air would always push on it and it would roll back until the fork-up was in a horizontal position and the thru-axle portion was resting on the rack's tray. With a current generation Fork-Up, this isn't a problem, but with the first gen version there were no lawyer tabs. As Kai drove down the Mass Pike at about 70 mph in his Jetta, the dropouts slowly slid back out of the rack's skewer. He had no idea until the bike suddenly flew off and disappeared into the night. Now the Mass Pike is a toll road with about 20 miles between exits in some places. There was construction going on and the road was lined with barriers so he could not stop. He finally pulled over at the State Police barracks. They called back down the road and had a highway truck go out to rescue his bike. After an hour or so, the big orange MASS DOT truck pulled into the barracks. A guy got out and handed Kai his bike. In a sack. I think the only thing salvageable was one brake caliper and the rear hub.

So make sure you don't have a first gen Fork-Up that lacks the lawyer tabs.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Wow. Not good to be him or the guy behind him.

I was transporting my boat one day and one of the 2x4s that guide the keel into the trailer fell off. I don't know where other than somewhere behind me on the road. The wood had rotted without my knowing it. I replace the wood with PT lumber and it is still there. I can't imagine what it might have been like to have seen an 8 foot 2x4 coming at you at highway speeds.

 

[Monique]

Did the skewer pop open while riding or on the rack? I like the locking aspect of the Thule fork rack for that very reason.

No, while riding on the trail =/ It was a Hope skewer. I finally got smart and replaced it. The new one is boring black instead of shiny metallic red - but it actually holds.

Never happened to me, but.... want to hear a story? Back in the day, one of my racing friends had a beautiful Intense M1 SL. It had a crack in the frame so he was driving it up to Saratoga to have a guy from Serotta/Fat Chance fix it. Wheels on style racks did not exist yet, so his bike was held on by a Fork-Up. Now there is very little friction between the thru-axle and the inside of the Fork-Up, so the air would always push on it and it would roll back until the fork-up was in a horizontal position and the thru-axle portion was resting on the rack's tray. With a current generation Fork-Up, this isn't a problem, but with the first gen version there were no lawyer tabs. As Kai drove down the Mass Pike at about 70 mph in his Jetta, the dropouts slowly slid back out of the rack's skewer. He had no idea until the bike suddenly flew off and disappeared into the night. Now the Mass Pike is a toll road with about 20 miles between exits in some places. There was construction going on and the road was lined with barriers so he could not stop. He finally pulled over at the State Police barracks. They called back down the road and had a highway truck go out to rescue his bike. After an hour or so, the big orange MASS DOT truck pulled into the barracks. A guy got out and handed Kai his bike. In a sack. I think the only thing salvageable was one brake caliper and the rear hub.

So make sure you don't have a first gen Fork-Up that lacks the lawyer tabs.

OMG.